John Dace’s retrospective application to keep the 16 panels on the roof of 129 High Street, Stalham, was considered by North Norfolk District Council planning committee during a meeting on Thursday.

The scheme has been opposed by the council’s conservation, design and landscape manager. who is concerned by the prominence of the panels on the property’s High Street facing roof. He told the planning committee it was important to achieve a balance between sustainability and preserving the quality and character of north Norfolk. He added: “In my view, features like this are a gash on the building and the conservation area.”

Nearly 200 people have registered their support for Mr Dace’s panels and his application has the support of the district council’s sustainability team. Councillors on the planning committee also spoke in favour of the proposals, against the planning officer’s recommendations to refuse the application and take enforcement action against Mr Dace.

Roy Reynolds said councillors must take notice of local people, who didn’t seem to be concerned by the panels, while Benji Cabbell Manners said he had visited the High Street and the panels could hardly be seen.

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I live in Stalham and I had not noticed these "gashes". I walk past that "eyesore" daily. Does the council`s "conservation, design and landscape" manager have a helicopter to go with his overblown jobsworth title?

I live in Stalham and I had not noticed these "gashes". I walk past that "eyesore" daily. Does the council`s "conservation, design and landscape" manager have a helicopter to go with his overblown jobsworth title?